A3 Refereed book chapter or chapter in a compilation book
Relational Identity Construction in the Merger of Equals
Authors: Johanna Raitis, Riikka Harikkala-Laihinen
Editors: Johanna Raitis, Riikka Harikkala-Laihinen, Mélanie E. Hassett, Niina Nummela
Publication year: 2018
Book title : Socio-Cultural Integration in Mergers and Acquisitions: The Nordic Approach
First page : 45
Last page: 63
ISBN: 978-3-319-74341-7
eISBN: 978-3-319-74341-7
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74341-7_3
Web address : https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-74341-7_3
Values are an integral part of an organisation’s identity. However,
during mergers and acquisitions, the accustomed values and,
consequently, the identity of an organisation may be threatened. This
can cause defensive behaviour that can be detrimental to organisational
change efforts. In this chapter, we suggest a joint identity
construction as a way to overcome such threats. We look into the
relational approach to identity construction, arguing that through
values, organisations can attempt to harmonise members’ identity work
during post-acquisition integration. Such attempts are well illustrated
in our empirical case.
